Advantages And Disadvantages Of Primate Captivity In Zoos

Primates are one of the most interesting mammals on earth, not only because of their complex social structures, but because they hold so many similar characteristics to humans. Primates are often cited as our closest living relatives and on two separate occasions I observed four separate species of primates at the San Diego Zoo that can justify their use of their physical characteristics and behaviors that may be similar as well as different to the other primates and ours.

As the animal rights movement has developed and grown substantially in recent years, there has been an increased focused on the welfare of captive animals. A popular institution that has received much attention for keeping animals captive is the zoo. Because of this focus, zoos have responded by publicizing their positive benefits for existence in order to justify keeping these animals on display. Since the term “zoo” can have a wide variety of meaning and characteristics, it is important to define what constitutes a zoo in this essay. Zoos are defined as a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and

Zoos across the world claim to be safe, suitable homes that replicate habitats of animals that are usually found in the wild. However, there is no possible way for wild habitats to be replicated well enough for animals in captivity to thrive, animals are often separated and withheld from living as they would in the wild. Despite their argument of being educational for visitors, the only thing they are teaching the public is that it is ok to take animals out of the wild and lock them up for their own enjoyment. Regardless of these claims, zoos are inhumane.

There have been many discussions about the welfare of animals since the first zoos were created. Some people agree that animals should be kept in zoo’s, they argue that it benefits the animals because their every need is catered to. However, in some zoo’s they are treated the exact opposite of being catered to. Sometimes the animals are also deprived of a natural environment that the zoo’s fail to recreate. However, zoo’s can be helpful educationally to kids. It gives them a close up on the beauty of the animals, but it comes at the animals expense.

Zoos present a certain blend of nature and culture. They have always provided a way to bring natural wildlife and urban Americans together as a means of entertainment. Yet, throughout the years the role of zoos have changed. Though once used for amusement, zoos are now being used for education on preservation and the welfare of endangered species. One may wonder where and how the idea of zoos started and just how they, and the environment around them, have changed throughout history.

This paper aims to study the traits of non-human primates. By observing two types of primates including Common Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus) and Western Gorillas (Gorilla Gorillas), I try to find out their characteristics, pattern of their behavior, and differences between these two primate species. Especially, characteristics and behavior such as social interaction, food acquisition and intelligence will be discussed and compared in this paper. In order to enhance the persuasiveness of my observation, I recorded and examined at least 25 distinct characteristics of both Common Squirrel Monkeys and Western Gorillas. It is also helpful for me to compare these two primates. Apart from exploring the primates’ traits and differentiation between them, this paper will discuss the effects of captivity. How being in captivity and on display in a zoo would influence their behaviors and emotions? The observation was a great success and I have successfully derived with a hypothesis base on our observing data. The ultimate goal of this paper is arousing humans’ awareness of the importance of studying primates.

People think that animals want to be in zoos, but they really do not. In some zoos the owners or zookeepers see how the environment is making the animals feel bad or good and they try to change it by giving the animals a similar habitat to where they came from. All three stories “The Stripes Will Survive”, “The Zoos Go Wild”, and “Our Beautiful Macaws and Why They Need Enrichment” deal with protecting animals but they all do so in different ways.

The captivity of primates in zoos can be viewed as maltreatment by animal welfare organizations since confining them in such establishments is going against their rights to be liberated and it may cause some unwanted stress, yet zoos provide various enrichment programs, medicinal assistance, scheduled meals that are appropriate for the primate’s diet, and conservation of the said animal. Primate captivity in zoos can be regarded as both moral and unethical for it imprisons primates, however, as their natural habitat dwindles, zoos also preserve primate population through captive breeding. Furthermore, zoos simultaneously deform the lives of the primates, garner sympathetic reactions from humans for these creatures, and inform

For this paper I decided to visit Zoo Atlanta to observe lowland gorillas. I got to the zoo at around eleven in the morning and found out the feeding times for the gorillas. Once I found them, after watching them for a little while I selected the most active group to go watch during feeding. The point of this trip was to make me feel as if I was doing a field laboratory observation of primate social behavior and it definitely did. As you read my paper I will include what I saw, my feelings towards it, and also any questions or facts I received during my visit from volunteers or signs throughout the exhibit. To put this paper

“Before the early twentieth century, zoos would separate humans from the animals by using a series of moats. In the early 1900s, however, zoos “began displaying animals in realistic exhibits that mimicked actual habitats” (Gioielli, 2016, p. 1). Coupled with the more natural habitat is advancing care for the animals in captivity. More hospitals are being built for animals and better medicine is being created constantly. As a result of healthier and happier animals in increased popularity of animals in captivity. According to Carey (2016), “More than 10,000 zoos are now in operation worldwide . . . the central missions of zoos [are] not only to serve as attractions for recreation and amusement, but also to educate people and promote conservation . . .” (p. 2). Most people do not go to see animals in captivity for the sole purpose of entertainment, they also go to learn about the animals themselves. Both children and adults can learn about how to help protect endangered animals and their habitats. As a result, zoos and aquariums are continually gaining popularity. According to Gazert (2017), “Zoos and aquariums draw 181 million visitors per year in the United States--that’s over half the country’s population, and more visitors than the annual attendance of the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB games combined” (p. 2). Unfortunately, some zoos and aquariums have been known to abuse their animals. While this is not true of all zoos, but the reports of abuse have increased leading to more controversy. Because of this the idea of keeping animals in captive is harder to accept. Still, the sad truth is that animals may have to be in captivity in order to save their species. “A recent report from the World Wildlife Fund warned that without swift and substantial human intervention, over two-thirds of the world’s wildlife could be gone by the end of the decade” (Ganzert, 2017, p. 1). Predictions

” Just a decade ago, animal rights activists advocated the “liberation” of apes in zoos, some unaware that a revolution in great ape exhibitry was under way worldwide. Today, 40 AZA zoos are currently planning or implementing significant improvements in their elephant exhibits (J. Maddy, personal communication, June 11, 2006). Many primate experts endorse exhibits designed to provide appropriate social stimulation and challenge the animal’s intellect. What is good for apes may be equally good for elephants”, (Maple 65).

This research would aid zookeepers in determining the necessary and effective measures that would improve the lives of their contained animals (Welty, "300 Days"). When chimpanzees are being contained in zoos, it is necessary that they receive proper care and habitat. The Chimpanzoo Project's main objective was to reveal that wild chimpanzees do not undergo behavioral changes that would be caused by being placed in a peculiar environment, therefore setting an example of how captive chimps should be treated. By enlisting the help of many people across the world to document the behaviors of chimps, Goodall demonstrated the importance of mimicking a natural environment for captive animals so as to not interrupt the normal processes of chimp's everyday lives (Welty, "300 Days"). Goodall raised awareness that the main purpose of keeping zoos was being conflicted with the way that some chimps were being carelessly treated. Animals that are placed in zoos should capture the wonder of nature, and bring the unknown actions of wildlife to the minds of people. However, when chimps' habitats in zoos are not similar to their natural environments, their actions do not reflect those that would be executed in a normal environment, defeating the purpose of containing wild animals to show their antics to curious onlookers. Goodall's initiatives inspired members of society to learn more about the needs of their chimps, in turn enabling zookeepers to maintain more suitable habitats for their chimpanzees as they become aware of how their original exhibit was harming the

Going to the zoo when you were a kid is one of your best memories, riding the Zoo Jeep through the safari, walking through the cave of bats, and seeing an elephant for the first time. In recent debate, zoos have become a controversial issue as Animal Rights Activists have started to strongly oppose zoos and the captivity of wild animals. One of main arguments from both sides is whether or not zoos purpose is to educate, research, conserve, and entertain. The article “Last Chance for Animals - Zoos”, argues against the ideas of zoos by rejecting the claims of conservation, education, and research. In the article “Zootopia - Animal Welfare, Species Preservation and the Ethics of Captivity”, the argument of zoos creating a positive atmosphere

Animals and human beings come into contact with each other in the different environment across the world. This has been fostered by human settlement in most regions that were delegated for animals. Whenever there is a contact between human and animals, there is a chance for the development of a relationship. Although human beings are familiar with the interaction of companion animals like cats, human-animal interaction also occurs in the context of farms, laboratories and in the wilderness (Davis, Schaffner, Smith 2005). Repeated relationship can lead to developing long term friendly relationship between animals and human beings involved. Various studies have been developed in an attempt of developing the most critical and rational measures that can be utilized to enhance and develop a human-animal relationship (Campbell, Shideler, Todd, Lasley 2001). These research studies have in majority concentrated on domesticated species. This research paper is developed to critically analyze the human- primate relationship. The study critically is developed to show how human beings can conserve primate as valuable species.

Now there are modern zoos in almost every city in the world that boasts different arrays of animals. With all these different zoos around the world, we see different approaches on how these animals are treated and what they are subjected to.